Page 40 of Tandem

The guy eventually staggered to his feet and limped away into the darkness of the street down the alleyway before AJ pulled back, his eyes roaming over my body. “Did he hurt you? Talk to me, Rosalie. Use your words.”

I looked up at him and shook my head. “N-no, just scared me, that’s all.”

He sighed and pulled me in again, resting his chin on my head. “Fuck. There is so much I wanna say, but I can’t change the past, baby girl. I would never hurt you now. I’m not the same man I was before, Rosalie. You gotta believe me. I didn’t know it was you from back then until yesterday. I promise.”

I held on to him because I felt like if I let go, he would slip away forever, and I couldn't… wouldn’t let that happen.

After what felt like hours passed, I pulled back slightly and stood on my tiptoes, planting a gentle kiss on his lips. “I believe you,” I said.

He gripped a handful of my hair and kissed me deeper. I took a step back and he pressed my back into the garage door as he took my breath away, kiss by kiss. And we just stood there, making out under the light of the customs. “No one will ever hurt you or almost hurt you like that again, baby girl. I won’t let them. I’ll protect you, I fucking promise.”

As AJ’s arms enveloped me, my breath hitched, and the world seemed to fade away. The weight of my anxieties dissolved with his arrival. I knew that I never wanted him to walk away like he did last night ever again. AJ, my anchor, my partner in crime, was my endgame.

At that moment, the past lost its hold on my mind. I didn’t want uncertainties lingering for another heartbeat. I had to tell him what I was feeling.

“AJ,” I whispered, my voice trembling with the raw intensity of my emotions. “I… I love you.”

My eyes squeezed shut, bracing for his reaction. I hoped the sentiment echoed in the silence spoke louder than my words.

But all I felt was his gloved hand stroke my cheek as his fingertips brushed my hair to the side more. “Back at you, baby girl.”

My eyes flung open, and I blinked a couple of times.Please don’t pinch me if I’m dreaming because I don’t wanna wake up.“You… You love me too? You’re not mad anymore about our fight? About how I yelled at you?” His chuckle rippled through my heart as he leaned in and kissed me one more time.

“No, Rosalie. I’m not mad anymore. Wish I never had to tell you so I didn’t have to see you so upset. I don’t want to be the reason you’re upset, baby girl.” I hugged him tight and buried my face into his hoodie because I was pretty sure if I kept staring at him, I would bawl.

“Want me to take you home?” My body tensed slightly as AJ rubbed his hands down my back to rest on the round of my ass, gripping it slightly. I nodded, still not moving my face off his hoodie, and then I was being lifted off the ground with an excited yelp escaping my mouth from the sudden movement.

“W-what! AJ! You don’t have to carry me, I can walk!” He chuckled and smacked my ass as he threw me over his shoulder. But all I could imagine was the way it would feel with him tossing me like this onto my bed again.

“But I like this view better, baby girl, so just hang tight and enjoy the ride.” He walked me down the alley where his lowrider was parked, opening the passenger door and gently tossing me inside before closing it.

I took the place in the middle of the seat next to where he would be sitting. AJ slid in and turned on the car, placing one arm behind me. I leaned into his shoulder and just rested my head. “I’m so happy you came back. And thank you… forsaving me from that guy.” He tensed slightly before relaxing and rubbing my arm.

“For sure, baby girl, now just rest while we drive to your place, okay?” As we started to pull away, I noticed a green car in the alley opposite us with its running lights on. AJ’s stare followed mine, and for a moment, a scowl appeared on his face as he threw the car into drive and took off down the road a little faster than usual. He kept checking the mirrors as we drove through the city to my place. I turned a bit in my seat to look at him.

“Do you know who was in the car, AJ?” I asked. He shook his head.

“Nah, just wanted to get you home, baby girl.” The seriousness in his eyes faded a bit as he smiled down at me.

I spent the next thirty minutes trying not to fall asleep. When we pulled up to my house, Jayden and Bonnie were standing outside on his doorstep. Judging by the look of disappointment on Jayden’s face, I would say he might never really like AJ and me together.

As we got out of the car, AJ nodded in their direction, to which Bonnie replied by flipping him the bird, making AJ chuckle. “Your brother’s girl always has an attitude, hmmm?” I looked over and waved, to which Bonnie replaced her finger with a smile and a small wave back.

“I don’t know. She seems nice enough to me. Maybe she just doesn’t like lowriders or something?” AJ chuckled again and tugged me under his arm as we walked to the front door.

“Mmmm, maybe.” We went inside, and suddenly, the adrenaline wore off completely. AJ picked me up again, this time with no complaints from me, and carried me to the bedroom. We got undressed, and AJ took a quick shower with me before sliding us into bed. The last thing I remembered was his lips on my shoulder before I fell asleep.

CHAPTER 24

ROSALIE

Wakingup the next day beside AJ, I slowly lifted his arm off me as much as I wanted to stay in bed all day with him. I was still trying to process everything that happened last night. That was one of the scariest things that had ever happened to me, hands down. I shivered a bit at the memory of the man pressing against me, the feel of his knife against my skin.

If AJ hadn’t shown up, I didn't know what would have happened. I shook the bad thoughts from my mind as I looked over at him.

I ran my fingers across his cheek, and he moved slightly, leaning his face as he slept into my palm, letting out a sound of contentment in his sleep. Even though all of the stuff happened just a couple of nights ago with our fight, I think I am more in love with AJ now than I ever was before.

Last night shoved every doubt I had that he might hurt me again right out the window. He could have been stabbed because of me, the guy could have had a gun and shot him, but he didn’t care. He did whatever it took to protect me. I could still feel the way my fears started to go away when he pulled me behind him, shielding me from the man who tried to mug me last night.